Ummm… I think that might be Jo Knowles, Sara, and Ann Angel. (Someone will correct me if I am wrong, I hope).

After everyone spoke, the line for book signings was miles long.

I dashed to Simon & Schuster for a meeting with my editor Kevin Lewis. I got to see the cover sketches for CHAINS!!!!!!!!! ::dances around hotel room, stubs toe on heavy suitcase:: I will show you as soon as I am allowed – I am VERY excited.

After our meeting we headed up to the posh boardroom for a receptions with some lovely teachers (waving at the good people from Ohio, Virginia, Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland and Tennessee!). Holly was there, too – both of us are lucky enough to have Kevin as our editor.

We met Pete Hautman!

It’s time to dash back to the conference, give my presentation, then race to Penn Station in the hopes of catching my train for the journey home. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Actually, there is a photo of me, but Laurie has me as Ann Angel. I’ve only met Laurie twice and always in jammed conferences. It’s kind of fun not to have made an impression. Happens rarely to six feet tall red heads.

Hi. I am the red head sitting at the table wearing a green, purple, black shawl. It is in a picture with the subtitle Jo Knowles, Sara Ryan and Ann Angel. I’m me, not Ann Angel. Thanks for the heads up about the nice comment. I will go look for it. I hope you and Maggie and children have a peaceful holiday. With nothing tiresome. Do post about it!

I thought that might be you, but between the lighting and the smallness of the picture your hair doesn’t look very red in that shot. And I’ve never seen any of the others, so, no process of elimination.

Thanks for the holiday well-wishing; I hope you & your husband have a fun holiday, too.

i just read Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen for one of my education courses at school. if you haven`t read it, i really suggest reading that book.
looks like you met alot of other great authors and that you had fun.
i love when you show us pictures of events like this 🙂

You have me right. I really wanted to jump up and introduce myself to you and tell you how much I love your books and how SPEAK helped me be brave whenever I got too scared about sending my book out in the world, but I was afraid that I would a.) start crying or b.) forget the English language or c.) faint.

Laurie,
I also thought the six writers were amazing, and in a 40 minute time slot! And far from being your fault it might not have been clear which author was which, I should have asked to have the podium moved to the side, rather than in the middle, so I could have introduced everyone by name and book title left to right–my bad entirely! I was just so worried about taking even a few seconds of their time!
It’s always such a pleasure to spend any time at all with you. Mary A.

I found your LJ on the White List and went ahead and added you as a friend…I hope that’s okay! I’m a fairly serious writer and thought I might benefit from the Wisdom of Those Who Have Gone Before.

And…I just wanted to say that SPEAK really did change my life. And no, I’m not just saying that. It didn’t change it immediately, not after the first time I read it. But as I reread it, and reread it again…slowly, I got the courage to report my abuser/rapist of four years to the police. After he was arrested, it turned out that it had happened to four other girls as well. He’s in jail right now, and not hurting anyone else. A lot of that courage I got from Melinda. My middle and high school years were a lot like hers…though my bullying more stemmed from my own personal withdrawal than from anything particularly dramatic. It was really touching for me…it was like reading my own life written on a page.

I’m sorry. I’ve turned this into a sappy essay. I’ll stop. 🙂

Anyway. I promise not to flutter all over you helplessly in fangirl admiration. I will just read and learn from a distance, unless you don’t mind human contact/whatever.

I really enjoyed your presentation at ALAN. It’s fun to check in here and see what you thought of the conference. It’s such a terrific thing to be able to go to a conference and hear so many authors who inspire me and get me excited about sharing books with teens, knowing full well how much you also inspire and excite them. (Very much a side note: I got a kick out of you taking pictures of us. Were you trying to take a picture of the audience with its eyes closed? I can’t remember whether it was Laura Elliot or your presenter who asked us to do that.) Anyhow, I’ll repeat what I said to you on Sunday night, though you have no reason to remember, since I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times in hundreds of places: thank you for being a writer.

I was at the S&S party! But when I thought of introducing myself my palms got all sweaty and my throat got all tight and I think I may have had an itsy bitsy heart attack. So instead my friends and I stared at you from across the room, giggled nervously and gushed about your books.